Knitting machine



Sept. 1, 1925. 1,551,993

J. C. KANE KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 5. 1 925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 F 55 I- l-H'I'NESSES- I INVENTOR:

Sept. 1, 1925. 1,551,993

J. C. KANE KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 5, i925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 @FIG': 1

FIG 1/.

- 27 I I Z55 u lmimmmmnu Z5 (llll WITN%S/7 INVEN'IOR;

v Jay: 0. Kane,- 461% 4 A M 1 ATTORNEYS.

J. C. KANE KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 5, i923 Sept. 1, 1925.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG- 11- To all 10110722 it maiy c'mz' cel and us'eful-..Improrements in Knitting Mat- 1'01. prodilctionmf tubular fabr;

t This patent-explains ho of the desired ff tions in the Infitting- Which subsequently qm'e' displaced "from beneath A extensien 0,. tires -Be it kriou i'rthart JQJ'Essn' -C.-"KA1 E, a citifunction gnly i1 zen of theU'nitq-zd States, residing at.Euston, ,coi'xrses of the; V in the county"of -Northampton and. State ionly is thejpcssibili'ty ef' leqseh r of Pennsylvuni arjhaveflinvented cert- 1in new seiy z ge zlo'ops positively prec d, 7

even distribution end uniform vi ellsw' ng said 10ops, w i th' respect to the othe theqfabric, bt-ained, F Iithergnc ire 1 chines, of which thexfellowing is aspeeificstion, reference being had torthe ac c0mpzrny gjf ingdrawir'lgs;z: i

My invention irelatestd knittinginechines, ance, of a perfect. fini Sh lfl-IKL -lend t more specifically to kni,tti11g'ma-hines'oftthe selves readily" t .-,j=bning (160p idil Ja'gesthgis .prgduced, present.v tlieapge i hem.

rotary or jcireulhritype zida'lflted --pri1nar ily prgptiaratory' toi transfer-.

' t er The parzmnbun object' fo;fi.,inyi nhiqn z;tl lqir- -.attendfif V is to enable knittingiupen 'sizchs-uimachine readily appar' V I J e tubular stocking: blanks having fiat, intetjon' which foll'ows of a typical enib Qdr gral prolongations erextensiensgwith-paral-- oi this invention -The scope f my in lel side edges, suchs'ascmployed fer example tion as at present knowndso me. will, in the method ofs toc-ki'ng" manufacture jde.-- be as readily apparent from the uppen scribed'in connection withepprop'riate ilclaims n 1,

a In the -fdrziwingsi" .a te-Albert Gee: under "date f June 8', 1909; jtion ef-knitt ng muggingeer :eriientI w a stocking blenk hedyang lily-invention, certain-partsrnqg;

ormf";may be'fprodliced' updn tinent to the'presenppnrpose being eith lustrations ;in- Patent Nd. --923;,605 granted ;'.dirc mlziiv knitting machine by oscillatory ,omibf d*-"0 mk .-;aiway x 6r reciproea'tory knitting" by usej-ofe se1ect- Fig, II "is anflaxial se e iome ed group of needles'gbut' diflicu1fiy'has'here-- enlgn'ged scale-s of the nee le cylinde' tofore benfezfperienced in securing persupport a v l dj .efp 3;. m fectkselvdges" al onigythe parallel' side edges e i ngb ing s: indicatedi y ofthe prdlo'ng'ations orfextensionsfa fere .I' i

f selvalgedoops; form d by hich the needle" eyIinder-issuppor i1 g'qf'th she-wing 'the, knitting '-cams,j picker and other instr xfi'entalitiesdesign resultfif' the eonsm tfunceol I end or terminal needles: ofthe ac venee'dle group, "OW-i tp such creygding; fliejflsgzlvages were characterized; b 1010s that the: e'i1fds' ofnthe 'wb' 'in 2r e he retaining notches of the: contignous web elders with the I'esI'iIti thaQ- 'inl the cpu'i'sefof :the muse: quent ris'e" of thetei-lhinal or end-needles; said-needles would puncture adjoining-I p'or tions "of the eb previeil sly -knitted This t nck, stitches or latch elos nre andrj'therefure I undesirable; irregularities and linperrec} prevented proper looping'ei thepfiibric in apply'i'ng the sa'm'efto other me "the purposelof appendingfzi fsifsh angl this is accomplished.bykse centrelling S00 (1 het fsoe'ver, (1' deli-date of ,JSe v "min 1, 1 the operation of the end'o1-'te1;mim1' needles part'iciilzirly toy E1 "of; 121i :dr of the group producing the elongation or needle cylinderdesignated by By the present invention I gun. avoid any fabric imperfectlons W which is rotatably shaft 6 are mounted pulleys 8-8 orbelt connection with an ap ropxriate source of I power,

, of the theshipper arm 12 is controlled b cam .-drurn mounted for independent rotation upon a 3c also a shiftable e utc collar 9 adapt-- ed to be engaged either with a gear pinion 10 or a pinion 11 for determining' rotary or reciprocatory drive of. the needle cylinder 1 through interposedinstrumentalities which are clearly described in the pitent referredto and need, not therefore further set forth in detail herein." The clutch collar 9, it will be noted, is circumfcrentially ooved for engagement by, a shipper arm 12'fixed to a horizontal rod 13 supported for longitudinal movement in guides 14-441. drop picker 32 whose lateral overhang n The movement of ousing frame 4.

a rotary 15' forming one of the e ements of mechanism of the machine, and

connter shaft 16. Attention .is specially directed to the fact that thecam drum'15,

of having two of setsv or deviations ,inits circumferential cam groove 17, (as

knitters, or shifti'n 7 later ex lained. A ratchet, wheel 1 9-is pro- -A ttention provided in seamless stockin the clutch for heel an toe pocketknitting has but a single one indicated at 18 for a reason which willfbe vided or intermittent (progression of the drum 15, pawling ofsai ratchet being subject to control of suitable high links (not shown)f;on' a, pattern chain 20 in a well known way.

is now directed to Fig. 11 ofthe drawings, wherein it will be observed that the knitting needles comprehensively them the usual web holders 22.

indicated by the numeral'21,\are retained for vertical movement in guidegrooves o the cylinder. 1, and have associatedv with These web 1' holders 22 are appropriately supported for I the needles 21 in Ya I .topof the needle cylinder 1,

whereby the I as'titch forming group toward and away from head 23 secured'about theand are moved back and forth in the well known manner by suitable cams in, said head. The cams needles 21 are actuated include, as best shownFig. III and also in the diaammatic-illustrations o fFigs. IV and V,

indicated by the nucam 26. The needles horizontal sliding moral 25, and a switch QI- whichuptothis time have beenreferred to only in 1 IV fifdi l u I i .an a on fl dicate conventionally in eavy' nee com rise two utt seri'es subgacent to the knitting-cams and a com lementary short butt series 28 (indicatdd inlight lines), the two series be-- ing equal or nearly so as to number. ,long butt (heavy shaded) series 2-7 are, i::-;.

proper positioning of the switch cam" 26 coincidentally with the change of drive of the machine from rotary to oscillatory or reciprocatory knitting, raised to the idle level when knitting is to be elfected only upon the short butt series 28, one way in which the described action of the "switch cam 26 and also subsequent repositioning of the same to lower said long butt needles 2? when round and roundknitting is to be resumed,

is readily, ascertainable from the Scott patw jectlons, it will particularly noted, or an extent toengage only a single n, butt at a time instead of two as ordin providedfor in standard knitting machiues. As a result of this arrangement, activity the pickers will-be confined wholl to the termmal needles 28 and 28 of t e short butt series'28. The needle 28" characterized by cross hatching in Figs. 1- and V of the drawings, whi h', although included in the short butt series'28, has a medium length 30 which are coupled by means of a con" :1

butt as best? shownby Fig. VIIIso as to be raised initially by the sw tch cam 26 to the idle lcvel withthe long butt series 27 in readiness to be engaged by the drop icker 32 upon the first reverse movement 0 oscillation or reciprocation of the machine; Thes'eterminal needles 28 and 28", which for convenience of nomenclature and better distinction will, in further description and claims bereferred to as special or supplemental end needles, are therefore constantly projected and retracted incidentally to the f activity'of the short but-t series 28.

The 'ma'chihe is preferably I further equipped '(see Fig. I) With a standard fornr of welti'ng of welt tops with which ladies hose are ordinarily provided: -This dial 34 is rotated in unison with th'needle cylier 1 by gear connections concealedwit in a guard 35 and coordinated with a vertical shaft 36 which in turn receives motion from the main drive shaft 6 through the medium of interposed bevel gear: couple 372' Referring againto needle cylinder 1 is provided with jacks 38 which are disposed in'the guide-grooves withalternate needles 21 and have butts adapted to follow a cam" groove 39 located dial 34 useful in the production 'FiguII-z it willube observed that the 25 This Kdrawings, is as follows: i c I In thisillustration the welt top indicated can groove 391s lainly shown in jFigs iv and V, but in orc er to avoid confusion the jacks 38' have been omitted I from'these illustrations. The jacks'38 by engaging alter;

nate; needles 21 from beneath, and through motion induced by the cam groove 39,'elevate them above .the usual or normal path followed by. the other needles. Subdivision changeable feeds 40 niountedito' swing upon a common fulcrum shaft 41 which is a'ppropriately anchored in upstanding lugs 4210f the latch guard ring 43. These feeds 4,0 are controlled throu h. interposed thrust drum 45 (Fig. I) .whichisr 44, from a cam intermittently rotated by virtue of gear e nections'46 with the pattern drumshaft 16 already described.

' The operation of the machine, withreference to the stocking blank produced by it shown diagrammatically at is knit with the aid of the welting dial 34 in the manner described in the-Scott patent supra, round and round knitting being continued thereafterbeyond the line 51 of the welt 'unctureto produce the leg portion 52 o the blank, which portion may be of any length'as predetermined by the'pattern chain portion 525alongthe course .53, a change is made in the drive of the machine from rota} tion to reciprocation through shifting of the clutch collar 9 from the gear pinion 10 to the inion' 11 under action of. the offset 18 in t e groove 17 of the pattern drum- 15.

' tion or extension 54' is adde During the final round or rotation of the machine, the switch cam 26 isautomatically swung, by well knownfmeans provided for[,"'

the purpose, to an inclined position to elevare the long butt needles 27 together with thespecial medium butt end needle 28 to the upper or idle level shown in'Fig. IV, said long butt needles" holding their loops throughout the reciprocatory knitting which foHoWs,-.whereby .a flat -inte ral prolongato th blank. Immediately upon the first reverse movement of reciprocation suggested by the large arrow in the figure last referred t0,.the special medium butt needle 28 is engaged by the drop picker 32. and depressed to, the active level. The special needle 28' consequently follows the active needle pathwith the shortbutt needle 28, (which path is in-.

dicated by .the smaller arrows in Fig. IV), and makes a terminal selvage' stitch along the edge 55 of the prolonjgationffil. However, upon reciprocatory move'mmt of the sequence d1e28, a 1 the end ofeach' alternate in Fig. VI ot' the "yarn feeds-40 to' inactive position. In the 0.v ,At the completionoi the leg h V as a guid ffor subsequent seaming o'r' for' vA similar line of demarcation 58 for facili terminal needles,- and means for needle "cylinder i, the, opposite direction a as in Fig. Y,f ftlie special needle 2'8 engages the elevating picker 30% whereby it is raised andfrest'ore'd to the inactive .level so as. to

be beyond thes'cope of the knitting cams 25 "during the currentreciprocation. Asa conof the behavior Jot; the special. nee stitch is i nadeb'y the same only at oscillation, such stitches being indicated" at S in Figl YII of the drawings. Similar reasoning will show that the. special needle 28 follo wsan' identical ruleof action and functionsjdur ingthe idle periods ofthe special needle in tor'ming'the terminal loops in'the sel Vage edge 6 all the OpPOsite id iprolongation'lil. Itjwill therefore be that by reason of -intermittent -functioning off the special, end needles 28i andf28 loopj crowding along the selva'geslcannot possibly take place thereby insuring that theends ofthegfabriearia engaged by the nibs of the web-holder's with consequent avoidance of the imperfections hereinbefore pointed out as attending the constant functioning of the end needles After the desired length 'of the selvaged flat web 54. has been knit, the" a fabric is pressed off as afresull g of automatic restoration of the machine to, its rfo-f native phaseand incidental retraction of the courseof its knitting, the stocking blank may have a line of demarcation. 57,-pro 'duced upon it extending longitudinally'io ff the tubula portion and centrally ithro'irhf' oo theprolon'gation 54f 'Such'a lineis use ornamental purposes, and may be produbejdf either .by omission of a needle or by tucking.

tation oiloopin may be madetransversely of the end of the prolongation 54, for*ex-' ample, by knitting a course of loose or elo'ii gated loops. I i Although I have. herein relegated to'the pickers 32 the oflice of controlling the action of the special end needles 28 and 28", it is of course to be understood that anyother means [suitable to the purpose may-be employed instead of said pickers without -de-. parting from'the scope of my invention. Having thusdescribed my invention,I" claimf 1. In a" circular knitting machine, the combination with a series of needles knittingaflat web, of medium-butt end dles, and vmeans for actuating the same In termi'ttently to produce selvage loops al ternate courses alongjopposit'e si'de edgesot the Web. I '1 Y H 2. In a circular kjnittin -m$ hifie, the combinationuwith a selected u "of ,needles for knitting a fli t web, 01 m'e ium-biitt I actuating the same in "respective alternationto profrizoduce selvage loops at opposite sides ,of the web.

'3. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a selected group of short butt needles for knitting a fiat web, of medium-butt end needles. and means for uctw" sting the some at intervals to produce selvuge loops in respective alternation at opposite sides of the web.

4. In a circular knitting machine, the

combination with e grouped series of neediesfor knitting a flat web, of medium butt supplemental cud needles for said series, and pickers intermittently operative upon the medium butt needlesnt intervals to as sist formation of complete selvage loops along opposite side edges of the web.

'5. In a circular knitting machine, the

' combination with a selection of short-butt needles for knitting a flat web, of supplemental medium-butt .end needles therefor, and pickers intermittently operative-upon the medium-butt end needles to assist formation. of complete selvage loops at intervals on opposite side edges of the web, said pickers including a drop picker with but sufliclent pro ectlng overha l'ig to engage the medium-butt end needles.

6. .In a knitting machine, the combination with a series-of needles for knitting a flat web and including medium-butt supplemental end needles, of stitch cams for actuating said needles, and pickers operative upon the with special medium-butt need medium-butt end needles of the series only to move the same into end out of the prov-' ince of the stitch cams for the pur os'e of producin v sclveges along opposite si e edges of the Wed).

7. In a circular knitting machine, the

combination ofa series of needles adapted to produce tubular knitting, means for eftecting subdivision of said needles to render a certain group inactive dur ng production of a fiatprolongation of the tubular knitting aforesaid on the remaining needles,

ing reciprocatory knitting with the short butt needles alone, and means for inci-- dentally actuatin the special medium-butt needles to assist ormation of selvage loops in alternate courses respectively in the side edges of a'flet web produced by oscillatory knitting with the short butt needles.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Easton; Pennsylvania this 25th day of March 1923.

JESSE COLLINS KANE. 

